PROFESSIONAL Resources
Postpartum Mood Disorders … they are Real.
Up to 80% of mothers experience baby blues, and up to 20% of mothers develop a postpartum mood disorder anytime in the first year following delivery or the adoption of a baby (Campbell et al. 1992, O’Hara 1991). Mood disorder symptoms may also begin in pregnancy in up to 20% of women.
TOP 4 RISK FACTORS:
- Recent stressful life events
- Lack of social supports (actual or perceived)
- Personal or family history of mood disorder
- Depression and anxiety in pregnancy
SYMPTOMS:
- Sleeping or eating disturbances
- Anxiety
- Emotional lability
- Mental confusion
- Loss of personal identity
- Feelings of guilt ⁄ shame
- Suicidal thoughts
- Feeling high and full of energy
- Feeling restless
- Irritable or angry
RECOGNIZE & REASSURE
- Manic symptoms may precede a “crash” depression
- Listen for comments such as “I feel like running away”, “I feel like everything is crowding in on me”, “I feel so alone even when I’m with my family”, “I’m a rotten person, a rotten mother”, “I sometimes think of hurting the baby or myself.”
- Listen to and validate the woman’s feelings
- Reinforce that she has showed strength and courage by sharing her thoughts ⁄ feelings
- Reassure her that help is available and that she will recover
EVALUATE
Ask all new moms about postpartum depression and mood disorder, past births and postpartum experiences.
- Can you sleep when baby sleeps?
- Are you eating? What are you eating?
- Do you get out?
- Are you having any scary or repetitive thoughts about you or the baby?
ACT
- If the PASS-CAN screen yields a positive result, assess further using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screening tool (EDPS)
- Encourage self care, acceptance of support and professional intervention
- Consider intervention options such as medication or counselling
- Educate and involve other family members
- Direct to community resources (top of page)
LEARN
- PPMD is the most common complication of pregnancy
- Recent literature indicates that those who suffer with “the blues’ may be at a higher risk of developing PPMD
- 1-2 women per 1000 births develop postpartum psychosis. Psychosis has a 5% suicide rate and a 4% rate of infanticide (Knopps, 1993) IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION IS REQUIRED
A listing of professional services available…
If you would like to receive a comprehensive Inventory of Programs & Services for Postpartum Depression for the London & Middlesex area, please contact the Middlesex-London Health Unit at 519-663-5317 ext. 2280
Programs and services. Just around the corner.
- Canadian Mental Health Association London-Middlesex 519-434-9191
- Children’s Aid Society 519-455-9000
- Daya Counselling Centre 519-434-0077
- Family Service Thames Valley 519-433-0183 ext. 135
- London Health Sciences Centre Anxiety and Affective Disorders Service 519-685-8500 ext. 75918
- London Mental Health Crisis Service 519-433-2023
- London Ontario Early Years Centres 519-434-3644
- Merrymount Children’s Centre (Emergency Child Care) 519-434-6848
- Middlesex-London Health Unit 519-663-5317 ext. 2280
- Mother Reach Postpartum Drop-in for Women and Families 519-850-2280
- Mother Reach Fathers Drop-in Sessions 519-434-3644 ext. 16
- Regional Mental Health Care London 519-455-5110